Heros of China
by Trent-Friend
Summary: This is not a story written by me. this is a Repost of one my favorite stories
1. Chapter 1

Blood.

It was the first scent that Master Storming Ox had scented as he stormed downstairs, steeling himself for the horrors to come. Master Croc raced with him down the steps, out the building, and into the open. They burst out into the open out of the Tower of Sacred Flames; the stewards of Gongmen had not expected the attackers of Gongmen City to be….

 _There has to be a mistake, thought Master Ox, This cannot be HAPPENING!_

The attackers were none other than...the soldiers of the Son of Heaven himself, the emperor of China. The trademark symbol of the royal court adorned on their blood-stained armor, the soldiers attacked with brutal efficiency. As the antelope guards of the city fell beneath their military might, buildings were set on fire, and the air turned thick with the scent of blood. Master Ox and Master Croc could only stand and watch as their home engulfed in flames. Master Ox quickly regained his senses, or rather his fighting spirit, and charged recklessly a crowd of soldiers. Using his horns, he ran over a few of the Imperial soldiers and bellowed with rage, Master Croc just behind him. The two masters were no fools; no matter how much strength they had they would eventually get overrun.

"If I am to die, I might as well take the lot of you with me!" bellowed the mighty ox, getting into his defensive position.

"Preach to the choir, partner." said Master Croc with a sneer, readying his sword.

The two masters were turned back to back, and both turned their heads and met the otherʼs eyes. They said no more words; their eyes had said everything that has been needed to said. They waited for the attackers to bear down on them, to fight more savagely than they ever had before. Gongmen had been their home, and they would not fail for a second time in defending it; even if they were to pay the ultimate sacrifice. Master Oxʼs hotheadedness was getting the best of him and he charged into the mass of armor-clad soldiers.

But as he began to fight, what happened next he would have never expected. He felt a cold sharp pain in his back. The pain was miniscule, but his body suddenly gave way, and Master Ox collapsed on his knees. He looked down to find the weapon that had been in his comradeʼs hand a moment ago buried in his midsection. He had been run through by the sword of his comrade, his brother-at-arms, his fellow master. The pain had settled in, and grew more intense each passing second. His mind swirled as his body refused to obey his mind and subjected to the pain. He fell on his side, sword within him as Master Croc stepped in front of him. A soldier ran up to Master Croc and handed him a silver cape and armor, with the Imperial mark etched on. Croc fastened the cape upon his newly attained Imperial armor.

"Why…Xiōngměng….why did y-"

Master Oxʼs words were cut short with a brutal stomp to the face.

"You will not address the new Imperial general by name." Crocʼs eyes were distant and cold.

"We…swore to…each other…we were…xiōngdì…brothers…" Blood trickled down from Master Oxʼs face onto the ground.

"The only one I swear loyalty to is the Son of Heaven, His Imperial Majesty." General Croc turned, revealing the mark of his new alliance on his cape, his deadly tail rising above the earth.

"Goodbye, you foolish ox. Any last words?"

Master Storming Ox, conqueror of the seventy-two Wing Chon Province bandits, Steward of Gongmen City, Pupil of the benevolent leader of the Masterʼs Council, Maser Thundering Rhino, had set his gaze on his home for the last time. The beautiful buildings were up in flames, threatening to collapse. The banners of the proud independent city Gongmen were ripped apart, banners of the Imperial government replacing them. It had started to rain, almost as if the Heavens were feeling the sorrows of the pitiful Master bleeding upon the ground. Master Ox allowed himself to shed one tear, to allow himself one fleeting moment of weakness. His thoughts went back surprisingly to when he and General Croc had just met, united by Master Oogway to save China from the deadly Wu Sisters.

"Remember the path…brother."

Master Storming Ox closed his eyes as General Crocʼs tail delivered the final blow.

* * *

This was my first fanfiction ever- so the story might get a bit sloppy.I hope you guys liked that opening scene/prologue. Iʼll try to update more chapters soon. I think I did an okay job with this….If you thought it was shitty, constructive criticism would be awesome.

Reviews would be a god-send!

Till Next Time, Audience(If I have any lol)

* * *

This is not my story. this is a story made by Slow to Dream, but re-posted by me.


	2. Chapter 2

Poʼs eyes shot open in the soft dawn as he awoke with a gasp. He had been sleeping peacefully a moment ago, when suddenly he awoke. Surrounded by the light of dawn, his pants filled the room, the cool air hitting his previously blanket covered fur. Startled and confused, Po got up slowly, his pants residing. Something had woken him up, but what was it? Something had pulled him out of his sleep, something had happened.

Weird, thought Po Why am I up so early?…I need something to eat.

Po hesitantly put one foot down after another, and gingerly tiptoed his way to the door. Although he had slimmed down tremendously, he was still a panda. And pandas have a reputation for tremendous girth and weight. Po chuckled softly when he had remembered the hole he created his first night at the Jade Palace. As he crept into the kitchen a familiar figure had already beaten him to the kitchen.

"Morning, Dragon Warrior" Tigress said with an amused look on her face.

"GʼMorning, Tigress" Po replied with a false grin, taking a seat in his chair.

Ever since the events that had took place at Gongmen City, Poʼs feelings blossomed for his fellow Master. Her smile had an ability to render Po helpless, and whenever she had gotten close, his heart began to flutter uncontrollably. Her piercing scarlet eyes could intimidate any man, and yet they would find themselves unable to look away, mesmerized. Tigress's beauty and gracefulness have always had an effect on her male counter parts and other men they have met on their journeys as the Dragon Warrior and the Furious Five. But they have always seen Master Tigress, the fearless leader of the Furious Five. Beneath that hardcore exterior, there was always a softer, gentler feline that only revealed herself to the other members of the Jade Palace.

"You come around like a bad habit." Tigress allowed herself a small smile, handing Po a cup of tea. "What's on your mind?"

As usual, Tigress had been able to see straight through Poʼs lies.

Is it her kung fu tiger-ey senses, thought Po Or am I just the worst liar ever?

"It's your face", Tigress deadpanned before taking a seat next to Po.

Poʼs eyes grew wide before subconsciously bringing his hands up to his face. Tigress chuckled softly at his actions and took a sip of her tea.

"I don't read minds, Po. I, however, can read your face quite easily."

Po took a small sip, savoring the taste of the tea, wondering the taste of Tigress if her lips crashed into his…..

Whoa! Thought Po Not now, not now, not now…

Tigress raised an eyebrow as she stared perplexed by Poʼs ever-changing facial expression before he settled down once again.

"You were saying?"

"Oh! Right, right…It's just that…I don't know, really." Po shrugged before continuing "Something woke me up, and I can't really explain it."

Tigress responded with a sip of her tea.

"Why're you up? I mean, I know you get up really early, but even this is too hardcore for you." Po lightly teased the tiger, poking her arm gently.

"Nightmares."

"Huh?" Po hadn't really expected her to actually reply.

"I couldn't sleep because of the...nightmares." Tigress whispered with her head down, eyes concentrated on her herbal brew.

None of the others had learned of Tigress's night terrors, even Shifu had no clue. Po had only known when he found Tigress in her room in the dead of night clutching her pillow, tears streaming down her face as she let out silent screams into her bed. Po had begun comforting her, and when the night terrors struck again, Po had always seemed to be there ready to comfort her. Even if Po had no clue what they were about. It was times like these that made Tigress wonder about her feeling towards the Dragon Warrior, whether they were feelings of love towards a brother or…something else.

It had been Po after all, whose understanding, gentle personality overlooked her cold exterior and saw the beautiful warm woman for whom she was. Po was the one who had set her free, who helped her make things straight between her mast-no, her father, Shifu, and the one who had made the Furious Five a loving family instead of a well-oiled extreme fighting machine. And for that she was more indebted to Po than he would ever know; her gratitude so great she would gladly die for him. Whether it was feelings of gratitude or another emotion, however, she couldn't decide. Her feelings for him are jumbled, and for once in her life, she was helpless against it. Tigress couldn't make sense of it. Deep in her thoughts, she couldn't sense Po leaning towards her until he had wrapped his thick black arms around her. Her eyes widened at his touch, and although confused about her feelings for Po, she allowed herself her guilty pleasure. She leaned towards his embrace, and rested her head against his.

Po had buried his face into the crook of her neck as her scent invaded his senses.

Tiger lilies and jasmine, thought Po giddily before returning to his senses.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there this time", Po murmured through her fur.

"It's fine. They weren't that bad this time." Her eyes were half-closed, barely able to keep herself from purring.

Reluctantly, Tigress had gently pushed Po away from her. Po almost looked hurt, but stared into her eyes. He couldn't take it; he had to tell her how he felt, right now.

"Look, Tigress I need to te-"

Po had been abruptly interrupted by the sound of a shriek, and a loud bang. He and Tigress shared a look, hardcore enveloping their once emotion filled eyes. They sprinted towards the entrance, quickly joined by the other members.

"What's the meaning of this?" Crane grumbled as he had been callously awoken by the noises.

"We'll find out..." Viper replied sleepily, wrapped around a half-asleep Monkey accompanied by the grumbling insect, Mantis.

The sight they saw quickly jarred them back to reality. Zheng, the head servant and messenger, was struggling to help up a battered, bruised, bloody feline. She was a Chinese Mountain Cat, blood and wounds aside, a very attractive one. She looked up from where she had collapsed, her eyes settled on Crane. Even through the recent hardships she had faced, her lips still lifted to a smile. She then unceremoniously collapsed yet again, this time immediately assisted by Crane.

"Come on! Get up! Get up..." Crane latched his talons on to her clothes before flying her into their barracks "Mei Ling!"

3 days ago...

As the roaring flames devoured the buildings, Sǐhǎi rose from the carnage. She took a deep breath, and sighed contentedly. She looked around slowly, soaking in her horrific deeds, until her eyes stopped at the half-dead rhino out in front of her. He was lying on his back, a gaping hole in his chest and the blood practically streamed out his chest. The rhino looked at her with utter rage and hatred. Sǐhǎi was amused, and slowly sauntered over to him before crouching by his body.

"Hey." She poked him in the belly, earning a growl from her victim.

"What…do you want…leopard?" the rhino spat out in contempt.

"I wanted to see is you're still kicking." She rested her elbows on her knees and brought both of her hands up to her cheeks, looking mildly bored.

"You knew I was alive when you looked at me, wench!" The rhino spat at her.

Sǐhǎi easily dodged the glob of saliva and poked the rhino's belly again.

"So…where'd that pretty mountain cat run off to? I saw her sprinting towards the east, but I was busy…" she licked her lips and stared at him seductively before continuing, "Having fun."

The rhino would've raised his fist before smashing it against her skull, but his body couldn't move. In fact, now that he had thought about it, the hole in his chest had been a cut moments ago. He groaned as his gaze fell upon his chest that confirmed his inevitable death.

"I used a rare poison on my blade" Sǐhǎi whispered, bringing her paw up to stroke the rhino's face "That's how I was able to…disable your students so easily."

"Ha", the rhino sneered "You can't say KILL, huh, why? Does it make you look like a murderer? Because that's what you are!"

Sǐhǎi stood up and gazed at the night sky, here eyes settled on the dark moon.

"The moon looks beautiful tonight, wouldn't you agree?" Sǐhǎi murmured.

"What the hell are you talk-"

Sǐhǎi brought her blade down mercilessly upon the rhino's face and continued her violent stabbing long after the rhino's legs and arms have stopped twitching.

"I don't like those types of words." she growled before looking up at the moon again.

She left the blade in the corpse before she stood up and viewed the Lee Da academy dying in a sea of fire. There were sparks of embers flying up into the air, as the blood of the students stained the ground and walls everywhere. She enjoyed the fight; it had been a long time before she was allowed into China after being exiled into Mongolia. In exchange for her blade, His Majesty has graciously erased all previous crimes in her name.

The Lee Da academy wasn't so tough she thought.

Sǐhǎi looked at her masterpiece one last time before looking to the moon again, her gaze on the giant white orb in the sky. The Imperial soldiers that had accompanied her started to collect the bodies together before setting them aflame. She didn't care for the soldiers. They were merely pawns on the grand scale of things.

"I want…to make this world burn." she whispered, the light from the flames illuminating her face while her body cast an eerie shadow on the earth.

( **Original Author's note** )

"The best weapon against an enemy is another enemy." - Friedrich Nietzsche...Hope you guys liked the OC Sǐhǎi.

Big Thank You to the people that reviewed! Should I make the chapters longer? Let me know!

Till Next Time, Audience


	3. Chapter 3

Darkness.

It was everywhere, surrounding the space of her mind and sight. She looked around, lost and confused. When she thought she would never escape, she spotted something. It was small and seemed to be far away. But there was no mistaking it.

It was a small spot of light.

As she saw it, she could hear muffled voices echoing around the dark void.

"You could never attend the Lee Da academy, youʼre too small."

"You might as well give up now mountain cat, thereʼs no competing with those rhinoceros and oxen."

"I present the newest student of our Academy! Mei Ling!"

"Hey kitty youʼre pretty good with that Bo staff. If you want to work on something bigger, you can work on my staff, yʼknow what Iʼm sayinʼ, hahahah- Ow! Ow, ow I was kidding, I WAS KIDDING!"

Mei Ling chuckled at the memories. Then some more hit her all at once.

"Me? No, no no….Thatʼs crazy. Thatʼs just…craziness talking."

Was Mei Ling insane, or did the bright spot seem to grow larger?

"Well youʼll never know until you try."

The light had grown brighter….it was practically blinding now. Mei Ling had recognized the two voices bantering; she remembered the moonlight that had made the skinny, lanky bird look like a majestic warrior.

Crane.

The silly, shy, bottle-necked janitor she was so fond of. He had grown to become more than anyone had expected of him, even her.

She had to warn him, to tell him what had happened. As she ran towards the light, the voices in her head grew louder and clearer. They sounded like worried voices, and some arguing. As she grasped the white, shining light the entire void she was in turned blindingly bright.

Mei Ling opened her eyes slowly. Vision blurry and feeling sick, she awoke with a weak groan.

"Mei Ling!" Crane hurried to her bedside, concern etched on his face.

The rest of the five had stopped bickering. They surrounded her bedside, waiting for an explanation. Shifu began the interrogation, as he always has before.

"Miss Mei Ling, what has happened in Lee Da?" Shifu implored.

"We were….attacked", Mei Ling closed her eyes in pain of her memory, and tears began to fall.

"Mei Ling…." Crane stepped forward to comfort her.

"No….I have to finish….please" Mei Ling drew in a shuddered breath before continuing. "It was so sudden, so well planned…It had been a regular day, and then… they just appeared."

"Who?" Shifu drew closer, fearing the answer he already knew.

"The Imperial Army..." Mei Ling closed her eyes and let her mind escape the horrors of reality and slip into the abyss of dreams.

* * *

"Whatʼs this about, Shifu? The Emperor should be, like, our biggest fan!" Po said, outraged.

"Po", Shifu focused his eyes on the ground "The relationship between Kung Fu and the Emperor has always been…strained."

After Mei Ling had lost consciousness again, Shifu took the Five and Po hiking to the Pool of Sacred Tears.

"The fact that Masters of Kung Fu had so much sway with the public has always been considered a threat to the Emperor. When the Five and especially you, Po, have defended China twice when the Emperor has failed put you as a threat to him."

Shifu continued "If you have to power to defeat Shen and Tai Lung, then surely you have enough power to take over the Imperial court, and rule over China.

"What, thatʼs crazy!"

"Yes, Po. But that is not the point. The Emperor has always been weary of Kung Fu, especially since masters such as us use it for the people, and not for the Emperor. He sees it as a direct threat of his power. Kung Fu Masters govern their own towns and cities as they see fit. Now that Master Oogway is gone, there will be no more delegations between us Masters and the Emperor. Master Oogway was the string that held us attached, because he was the one able to appease the Emperor that we wouldnʼt turn against him."

"Meaning heʼll try to destroy every trace of Kung Fu. Heʼll try to kill us all." Tigress said, anger flashing in her eyes.

"Master, what should we do?" Viper asked looking at Shifu in despair.

"The Emperor has probably already sent a force to stop you from doing anything." Mei Ling said, arriving in the middle of their conversation "The Academy is destroyed, and rumors say that Gongmenʼs Masterʼs Council has fallen as well. They seemed to have gone for the other Kung Fu academies and palaces; theyʼre weary of the Jade Palace."

"I donʼt think they plan on leaving us alone, though", Mantis scowled.

Shifu closed his eyes and sat in the Lotus position as the rest of the Five started to fight amongst themselves. There had to be a way to save themselves, to save Kung Fu. Could this be the end of the sacred art?

No, Shifu thought, I refuse to let Oogwayʼs legacy die. We just need a plan. Perhaps Tigress and I could form a strategy later tonight, something to save-

"Master Croc!" Po shouted with happiness, fan boy mode in full throttle.

The rest of the Five turned from their bickering to stare at the Master. General Croc no longer had on his Imperial armor or his cape. He was in his regular attire.

"Oh, man. Master Croc, are we glad to meet you" Po got up and started to run towards the Master.

"Wait, Po." Tigress said with an unusual tone in her voice. Her voice was calm and cold, almost ice-like.

"Master Croc, where is Master Storming Ox?" Tigress took a step in front of Po, almost shielding him from Master Croc.

"Heʼs holding down the fort at the city. Why? Whatʼs wrong?" Master Croc said, "Cʼmon Po. Lunch is on me. We have to talk about this recent epidemic."

He turned walking away, expecting Po to follow, which he began to. The rest of them had started to follow him as well, eager for an answer to their problem. Tigress had lifted an arm in front of Po, implying for Po and the rest to back off. Tigressʼs composure was calm, almost too much so. The rest of the Five and Mei Ling looked confused, wondering why Master Tigress is acting so strange. Even Shifu had an eyebrow raised.

"There have been rumors that the Masterʼs Council has fallen from attacks from the Emperor. Surely you must know something about that." Her piercing eyes looked at him coolly.

"Keh! Rumors are rumors! Gongmen is safe, Iʼm telling you. Thereʼs no need for violence now that Shenʼs gone. Come! I have heard that the Dragon Warriorʼs noodles are the stuff of legend."

"I see. Please excuse my insolence, Master Croc." said Tigress, her voice eerily calm, "But I cannot let my comrades attend lunch with you. There are too many holes in your story. Why visit us now, so long ago from when Gongmen city had been officially freed from Shenʼs tyranny? Where did the rumors come from then? Why visit when you can just send a messenger? Plus, the scent of blood is strong on you."

The Five, Po, and Mei Ling all took several steps back. No one had smelled the scent of blood on General Croc, no one but Tigress. Shifuʼs eyes widened as the rest of the group looked at Tigress in utter shock as she got in her defensive stance.

"Furthermore, you have not addressed anyone else but the Dragon Warrior. You have been avoiding Grandmaster Shifu, almost as if you fear him. And if the time for violence has passed…" her gaze fell upon the crocodileʼs armor and cloak "Why are you hiding a blade?"

General Croc had not turned since Tigressʼs verbal beating. He started chuckling as he applauded Tigress.

"Ah, I see why the famous Master Tigress is considered the Pillar of the Jade Palace. You are astute, alert, and intelligent. Your combat skills are truly legendary…. This is a problem. "General Croc quickly lit a spark with his metal belt and claw, and lit a small bag on fire.

Master Tigressʼs eyes narrowed as she charged on all fours at him, realizing his intentions. The rest of the group quickly dispersed and began to charge at him from all different directions. General Croc proceeded to throw the bag into the air, and swung himself in a full circle. His deadly tail lashed around, repelling the offenders from all sides. Shifu, however, managed to sneak through General Crocʼs mighty tail defense and pinned the reptile down by the throat with his staff.

The bag that had been thrown high up in the sky erupted into a beautiful flash of colors.

"Fireworks", Croc rasped through Shifuʼs staff, chucking to himself "If I were you, I would be running by now."

"They will attack the Valley!" said Tigress as she helped Po on his feet, the others already running back down to the palace.

As Tigress and Po caught up to the group, they were immediately intercepted by troops on the road back into the Valley. Shifu quickly dispatched most of the soldiers with his superior speed and combat prowess. Viper and Monkey had finished off the stragglers without halting, the soldiers no match for either master, let alone two working together.

"Crane, get me down to the Palace! Donʼt try to argue!" Tigress leapt in the air and soon became a dot in the sky, carried by Crane.

"Fool! Quickly, one master will not be enough! I will go ahead!" With that, Shifu had sped down the path with unimaginable speed leaving behind a trail of dirt and dust.

Po knew why Tigress was so desperate to defend the Jade Palace. It had been her escape from the orphanage, her one true home. She had found friendship, fun, love, and peace in her times in the Jade Palace. Throughout all her changes, from lonely apprentice orphan into a beautiful Kung Fu Master surrounded by the people she loved, the Jade Palace had always been her sanctuary. A place where she would always belong, and if she left, a place that would welcome her back with open arms. And Po would NOT let them take that from her.

"Hyah!" Tigress had slammed her fist into an Imperial soldiers face, sending him flying into two more of his comrades.

Tigress quickly dodged another spear, her body moving like fluid water, her fists striking with animosity. The soldiers hadnʼt expected a surprise aerial assault from the tiger. With each strike, her arms had movement that of a cobra: swift, powerful, and deadly. The Imperial armor the soldiers wear stood no chance against the ironwood- hardened fists. Crane had flown in to the chaos, taking out archers before they could aim at the ferocious feline destroying their troops. The Five joined shortly after, Shifu dealing the most damage against the slow soldiers.

"Crane!" Shifu called to the avian as he was dealing with a soldier, "Fly to Chorh-Gom Prison, and get the Anvil of Heaven! Quickly!"

Crane burst into top speed towards the prison. Chorh-Gom Prison has been under the command of Shifu after Oogway had passed. It was far away near outer-Mongolia, but with Craneʼs unearthly aerial speed, he should get there in a matter of hours. Although Tai Lung had escaped, the Anvil of Heaven who guarded him were no ordinary guards. One thousand rhinoceros that were hand-picked by the warden Vachir. The time of arrival would vary between one or two days. However, their assistance could help defend the independent valley from the Emperor.

In all the chaos of combat, the Five and Po, nor Shifu, realized that General Croc had returned from the Sacred Pool of Tears. With a sinister grin, he pushed an archer out of the way. He lit a familiar bag on fire using the same method and snagged it with an arrow.

As the arrow hit the building, the fireworks went off, igniting the wood. Soon, the fire devoured the entire Palace, as more archers hit the palace with their arrows with sacks of gunpowder in them.

The plan had been simple. Destroy one of the most valuable pieces to Kung Fu history, and if they could, kill a master. They would have lost the battle, even with 50 of the best he had to offer from his division of the army. The rest of the men left the destruction they made behind: ransacked businesses, thrashed homes, even some innocent bystanders killed. The citizens of the Valley of Peace cried in despair for their loved ones gone, their hard work lost, and their homes destroyed.

Tigress couldnʼt help to feel the same way, as her feet underneath her collapsed beneath her weight. She was on her knees, eyes wide as she stared at the building covered in flames. Tears began to streak her face, yet she remained silent. The rest of the five (excluding Crane) had gathered the unconscious bodies and tied them up, doing anything to erase their minds on the sight before them. Shifu trembled in rage, his teeth gnashed together as his fists tightened even further on his staff. Po knelt beside Tigress, his hand on her shoulder comforting her. She pushed his hand off her shoulder, looked away, and clenched her eyes shut to avoid the tears from overflowing.

As the small number of troops left retreated out the Valley of Peace, on soldier was brave enough to approach the chuckling General.

"Sir" the soldier looked nervously at General Croc "If I may be bold enough to ask…What was our job?ʼ

"All it takes is a tiny spark, a tiny spark to ignite the flames that will swallow everything in a sea of fire…." chuckled the reptile before continuing "Weʼve sent a message."

* * *

( _ **Original A/N**_ )

"All cruelty springs from weakness." - Lucius Annaeus Seneca

I hoped you guys enjoyed this chapter! I had fun making Tigressʼs badass scene in this chapter, haha! I know, I know, there wasnʼt any TiPo, but I really wanted to focus on the plot and action of the story in this chapter. If you guys have any constructive criticism, or have suggestions on the chapters later, I would be glad to listen (read). THANK YOU TO YOU GUYS THAT REVIEWED

Remember to show some love with reviews! Any suggestions/criticism will be read!

Till Next Time, Audience


	4. Chapter 4

As Crane had flown back, the sight he witnessed made him sick. Countless buildings ransacked, murdered townspeople in the streets, citizens crying in despair for justice. Their citizens, the very people the Five had taken an oath to protect with their lives. Crane had contacted the Anvil of Heaven, who agreed to rush to the aid of the Jade Palace. They would arrive in 2 days, 2 days too long. The Emperor will send more troops soon, then how will they defend the Valley of Peace? As Crane focused back onto the sad scene, he landed at the Jade Palace. His worst fears had come true. His home destroyed, the blood and tears of the innocent ran through the streets of the Valley of Peace.

As the sun set, Tigress was still slumped over, tears slowly dripped onto the earth. Po had gone salvaging in the wreckage for anything he could find, despite the heat from the burned carcass of the palace scorching his paws. Viper and Mantis attempted to comfort Tigress, although they were failing miserably. Monkey and Mei Ling were attempting to direct the citizens back to order, though many ignored the masters with dirty glares. Shifu had organized messenger birds that werenʼt slaughtered to different provinces with cities still run by Kung Fu masters to alert them of the coming dangers. When Crane had landed, he glanced at Tigress. She was beyond devastated, face expressionless, silent tears spilling over her eyes as her gaze never left the scorched palace. She clamped her eyes shut; hot air from the scorched wreckage rippled her fur, and roared in anguish. It was loud and violent, yet at the same time it held pain and sorrow. She slammed her fist into the earth, and took

off for her refuge of ironwood trees. The other had gotten up, trying to stop her, but was halted by Shifuʼs raised hand.

"Let her be," Shifu said, eyes cast down to the ground "Let her grieve the only way she can."

* * *

Po had seen the scene from scavenging in the wreckage and turned with determined eyes and kept searching with newfound determination. With his new found enthusiasm, he had almost missed a very valuable object. But regardless, he found it among the burned rubble. With a grin, he took the fragile object in his hands and pocketed it. He began searching for other pieces of memories.

Mei Ling had been joined by Crane down near the village in a reclusive area. She sat with her knees tucked into her, her arms rested on her knees and hiding half her face, her tail swinging depressingly.

"The villagers seem to resent us," she muttered with a sad expression "They expected us to protect them…and we failed."

Crane slowly padded up to her side, and put a wing around her, attempting to shield all her misfortunes from her. She responded by embracing the avian, much to his surprise. His eyes widened, and then softened as he returned her hug with one of his own. She had buried her face into his neck, and by the wetness he felt, she had been crying.

"I couldnʼt protect Lee Da…and now I couldnʼt protect the Jade Palace." Crane released her and put a wing on her shoulder, and looked into her eyes.

"Itʼs not your fault," Crane said soothingly "No one knew this would happen to any of us."

"Look at me!" Mei Ling said with a small laugh while wiping a tear from her eye, "Crying…this isnʼt what a Kung Fu master does! I messed up being a woman, now I messed up being a warrior?"

"Hey! You didnʼt fail at either of those!" Crane told her indignantly, then with an amused expression added "Remember how many catcalls you got, or how many guys would fight each other just to talk to you?"

Mei Ling started to giggle, and upon seeing this, Crane decided to go further.

"Iʼm serious! And when you first came here, you shouldʼve seen how many jaws dropped! And not just because of your Kung Fu!"

Crane sighed, and then looked out at the setting sun, in all its blazing golden glory.

"I remembered just thinking: "Wow!". Before you came to Lee Da, I only wished for one thing. But you changed that. I wished I could be a top student. I wished I could be as graceful and talented as you!" Crane closed his eyes, words tumbling from his beak uncontrollably, becoming an avalanche of truths and confessions.

"Even after I became a student, I was still wishing! Wishing that I could become the best that Lee Da had to offer, wishing that I was as close to you as some of your other friends were! Wishing that you were with me and not Tōu, wishing it was my wings around you, caring for you, instead of his!"

Craneʼs eyes shot open, realizing what he had just said. His feelings for her had gotten the better of his judgment and tongue. Cursing himself, all he could do was wait for the inevitable response he knew he would get.

"Oh, Crane…." Mei Ling looked away, towards the village and away from Crane before adding, "Crane…youʼre my best friend."

"I know." Crane croaked, his ears almost hearing his heart crack in a million places as his throat constricted itself.

He couldnʼt help himself. In the sunset, her beautiful eyes sparkled in the golden light. Her tears seemed to add to her eyes, even in sorrow she couldnʼt help but look like a goddess. Her face, her fur, her body. Crane wanted it all, he wanted to hold her, to protect her from anything else that will ever hurt her, to show her the love that no other male had ever shown her. He wanted to wipe her tears, and tell her everything would be okay, because in his mind, it would. Being near her, her comforting presence, her soft fur, her graceful figure and golden heart, would make everything okay to Crane. He sighed, however. It would never be possible. He was Crane: slim, awkward, and unattractive in general. And she was Mei Ling: goddess, beautiful, powerful, and independent. He knew she was never even remotely attracted to him since they met.

The silence between the two was deafening.

"Mei Ling, I know you donʼt love me. I know you see me as a friend, someone you can trust." Crane croaked, his tears threatening to overcome his eyesʼ resistances "So Iʼll be that person. All I want is to see you happy. So…donʼt worry about me. Iʼll be your friend forever, someone you can rely on. Iʼll watch from the side, happy if youʼre happy. So…so donʼt feel guilty about me, because I donʼt mind. Iʼll be there for you. Always."

Crane turned, getting ready to take flight for solitude to wallow in his misery. But before he could get liftoff, he felt a pair of familiar arms wrap around him from behind. He shivered as Mei Ling had buried her face into his long neck. They stood for what seemed to be hours, Mei Ling wrapped around Crane, their bodies and hearts so close together. Crane could feel her rapid heartbeat, her body heat, and wondered if Mei Ling could feel his heartbeat as well. He could feel her tears against his neck, and sighed with pleasure when she pressed her lips against the base of his neck. She trailed kisses up his neck, and then softly kissed the avianʼs cheek. Crane turned to meet the felineʼs gaze, her smile, her tear-stained cheeks...

"I guess...you feel the same way?" Crane asked awkwardly, shuffling his feet, "Why me?"

"Why not you?" Mei Ling asked with a laugh "If only you could see your handsome face in a mirror."

"Well Iʼm a scrawny, awkward bird…..youʼre a beautiful feline….."

"I think youʼre a majestic, handsome avian, who would sacrifice anything for a loved one." Mei Ling had embraced Crane again, nuzzling her cheek against his beak.

The setting sun set a blazing golden and orange background and Crane couldnʼt help but think that this was the perfect day, despite the recent tragedies that took place.

"Regardless of the tragedies, the future doesnʼt scare me at all", Mei Ling whispered to Crane with a sweet smile on her face "I have you."

Crane laughed and held the embrace. Mei Ling purred softly into the avianʼs feathers. The two lovers were joined as one, not only in embrace, but in heart and soul as well.

* * *

Original A/N

"Love is our true destiny. We do not find the meaning of life by ourselves alone - we find it with another." - Thomas Merton

Well, there goes another chapter. I just have to let you guys know, that: Guys, I donʼt really plan my chapters. I sit down, and then tell myself: Yourʼe gonna write. Do it NOW! But the strange thing is, is that I like writing. Haha, oh the irony: an american football player that enjoys writing and reading. Oh well, I donʼt give a shit. That OC that Crane mentioned to Mei Ling was just BS. I made him up to last for 3 seconds. Hope you guys enjoyed that moment with Crane and Mei Ling. I know it wasnʼt Tigress and Po, but I liked what my brain told me to write, so my fingers had to type it! Itʼs the start of spring break, so I should be on a major writing spree after wrestling/football/track spring break practices! By the way, I forgot to mention this after chapter 2: I put a lot of references to movies,games, and TV shows and such. Try to find them if you can!

If you enjoyed the chapter, let me know why you liked it! Donʼt hesitate to send a review! I love them!

It doesnʼt hurt to follow or favorite either, hehe.

Till Next Time, Audience


	5. Chapter 5

When the two recently united lovers had walked back leisurely to the palace in the night, they spotted a massive crowd of citizens at the entrance of the palace. They looked enraged, and Mei Ling couldnʼt blame them. The Imperial army had attacked the Valley brutally. Why they did not continue, Mei Ling was unsure. Sharing a look, Mei Ling held on to Craneʼs feet as he flew over the crowd, landing next to the other Masters confronted by the angry mob.

"You people need to leave!"

"You guys can barely protect yourselves, let alone the Valley!"

"If this is what Kung Fu can only do, I want to be taken over by the Emperor!"

The angry crowd hurled insults and jeers at the masters. All remained calm, except for one certain Dragon Warrior. Po stepped forth, ready to abuse the crowd. But then something odd happened. When Po took the step, the villagers took a step back. Upon realizing this, Po sighed. Even though they may have looked angry, they were still afraid of what the Masters could do. This reminded him of Tai Lung, and he immediately stepped down, feeling ashamed.

"Why do we need to leave?" Mei Ling asked confusedly, looking around the crowd "The Anvil of Heaven will arrive tomorrow and…"

"And the Imperial Army will still be here!" cried out Feng, an elder of the Valley "They surrounded the Valley, turning back traders and farmers looking to sell their crops!"

"We have no farmers here, and how long will we last until we perish from starvation, huh?" yelled out a particularly rude pig, "As long as youʼre still here, they will keep the blockade going, until we force you out!"

"Leave!" screamed an elderly goat, "LEAVE NOW!"

The Masters looked at each other. They would never harm one of the citizens of the Valley of Peace, but could they really leave their home behind, only to get caught by the Imperial Army? Shifu had realized now, why only such a small force had entered the valley. The Thread of Hope is the only access point to the Valley, and to cross an army across the thread-like bridge would have been impossible.

Then…thought Shifu, All this time since the attack….

"We need to leave, now." whispered the elderly Master looking dejected "Go towards the Scared Pool of Tears."

Shifu and Feng had shared a glance together, a hidden conversation between the twoʼs eyes.

The masters looked at him questioningly, but trusted the elderʼs judgment. The master looked back with pained expressions in their eyes. Never did they expect to be shunned by the very people that adored them moments before. They all sped towards the sacred rendezvous point, leaving behind the citizens of the Valley.

"Well, our plan had worked." A male bunny stepped besides Fung "Now we just need to hide the children…"

"Another force sent by the Emperor will kill us all. I hope we have chased them out of the Valley." Feng let a tear out "After all these years of protecting us, they deserve to have been protected by us lowly villagers at least once."

"Fui, send them food and water. Do not tell them that it is from us." Feng croaked "And by no means tell them that this hurts us as much as it hurts them."

* * *

"Hopefully the Anvil of Heaven can protect them from the Emperor." Shifu had sat, dejected "We will leave after we rest here for the night."

The elderly master looked worn down, his face showing signs of age and his posture was weak. He had seen through the Valleyʼs citizens, and knew he could do nothing. They had sacrificed themselves to help the survival of something bigger than all of them, a timeless art that had helped millions of the innocent from the oppression of the evil; the art of Kung Fu.

Mantis had been murmuring obscenities as he raked the ground with his mantis forelimbs. Monkey sat in his lotus position; face twitching as he tried to chorale himself from the worry that had gripped his heart. Viper coiled up as she looked at the pool, the light of the moon and stars reflected off the pool into her eyes, creating a beautiful color. Mei Ling and Crane had sat together, Crane roosting as Mei Ling curled up around his leg as she fell asleep. Tigress sat far away where the land ended and the sky was infinite, her eyes shut as she drowned herself in the cold air and stars of the night. Po had been in his own little world away from everyone else, tinkering with something small.

"They look adorable together", said Viper sleepily as she stared at Crane and Mei Ling resting together.

"Mmmm." agreed the praying Mantis, "Iʼm hungry, too."

Viper hissed at the insect and smacked the back of his head with her tail, annoyed at his truth. None of them had eaten for some time, and Viper was getting thirsty; however, she would never drink from the scared pool before her. She stared back at the newly found couple, and a thought passed through her mind. She glanced quickly at Po, then at Tigress. She sighed, and retired back into her coil.

"Aha!" Po yelled victoriously, "I got it!"

The startled masters looked at Po. Po had quickly winced and whispered an apology. He tiptoed his way to the ledge that Tigress had seated herself upon. As he plopped down next to Tigress, the feline master had opened one eye and raised her eyebrow at him.

"Hey, Ti." Po had used her nickname affectionately.

Tigress had opened both her eyes and stared coolly at the jade eyes that had seemed to be able open her inner walls when no one else had.

"Look, I know youʼre still hurt over the palace." Po had said and quickly added when she had looked down, "But, but look! I looked around a bit, and I remembered the story you told me about before you came to the Jade Palace. I want you to keep this, if you like it."

Po and taken her hand and gently placed the small item in her paws. Tigress had opened her paws to find something she would have never expected.

It was a tile. The tiles that Shifu had taught her to use, that taught her how to use her strength and gave her friends at the orphanage. The tile had been the start of her happy memories in the orphanage, finally able to play with the other children after she had shown them she was no harm and could control her temper. It was just cheap wood, but it represented so much more than that. It was a slightly blackened at a corner, and had a hole with a small rope through it. She ran her paws slowly over the small rope, the tile, her little piece of memories. Po had turned it into a necklace.

"Um, I know that it was precious to you and um…I really sorry that I put a hole in it. I just thought that, yʼknow, you might want to wear it- if you want to wear it, no one is really telling you to and-"

"Po, I love it." Tigress flashed him a small smile, but it dropped when her eyes rested on his hands "What happened to your hands?"

"What, oh nothing, nothing at all. I good! Really!" He quickly hid his paws behind his back.

She grabbed his arms and lifted them up to meet her gaze underneath the light of the moon and stars. Poʼs paws had been severely burned in multiple places, cuts and grazes covered his paws, and some claws were missing from both hands. He had hurt himself to bring small comfort to her, and she suddenly felt guilty. She had forgotten that Po had looked through burning hot wood and metal for this tiny trinket... She got up and walked to the pool, gathering water in a flask. After clearing out his wounds on his hands, she had gently dried them with her silk pants. Her eyes softened, as she gently placed his hand on her lap, and proceeded to take the bindings off her ankles. Then she carefully wrapped her bindings around his hands. She was still staring at the bandaged paws, softly massaging them as her mind wandered to think about Po.

"Um. Tigress?"

Her head shot up, eyes wide, and realized she had been softly massaging his hands still. She shoved his hands away and looked back at the stars.

"Donʼt be a little girl."

Po had shot her an amused grin, and scooted closer to her.

"Yʼknow, underneath all that hardcore tiger Kung Fu mastery, inside is just a warm, soft, lovable, cuddly kitty!" Po poked her every time he had hit an adjective.

"Care to test that out, Dragon Warrior?" she hissed playfully, coiling up on all fours ready to pounce.

"Ready." Po smirked, imitating the feline when they were sailing to Gongmen.

Tigress leapt on top of Po, and began rolling around wrestling for dominance. As they were rolling around, they managed to roll down the path towards the Scared Peach Tree of Heavenly Wisdom. Tigress was hissing, clawing and batting playfully as Po growled. They rolled around in a playful manner, forgetting about the dead, the blood, the fear, just focusing on each other in the moment. They had managed to roll uphill and stopped just beneath the peach tree. It was blooming time for the tree, as the sweet cool air had seduced the petals to fall from their branches, creating a glorious swarm of petals around the two. The moon shined as brightly as it could dare, and the stars shined with equal vigor. It felt as if the very earth approved of the two warriorsʼ love for each other, though neither confessed it yet.

They stopped their tussling, Tigress beneath Po, both of them laughing together. Then Tigress did something unexplainable. Tigress had looked at the charming, cute panda and lifted her head to meet his cheek. Then, she gave Po a small lick on the cheek before setting her head back on the grass, looking at him with admiration and adoration. Poʼs eyes went wide with surprise, as he slowly looked down into Tigressʼs eyes. She had a small smile on her face, her blush dominating the shade of color on her face. Her gentle features were lit by the moon and the beautiful eyes matched the heavenly stars themselves. Poʼs heart melted when he could see total love and trust in her eyes, and Po leaned down. At the same time, Tigress had leaned up to meet his lips. What felt for hours were only a matter of seconds. The two separated, breathing harshly as they sat together against the peach tree. Tigress closed her eyes peacefully as she rested her head against Poʼs shoulder. No confessions

were needed at that point, the twoʼs souls and hearts were in matching frequencies.

"I know we shouldnʼt be feeling like this….We should be getting ready for the coming storm", Tigress looked up into Poʼs eyes "But…I….love you, and I need you."

"Yʼknow, a wise man once told me that yesterday is history, and tomorrow is a mystery", Po smiled shyly as her gaze never left his "But today is a gift, and thatʼs why itʼs called the present."

His paws were grabbed gently by Tigressʼs. He hadnʼt noticed till now that she had worn the necklace he had given her, the precious tile protected underneath her red silk vest. She smiled, and felt at peace for once in her life. The raging storm that was her life had been calmed and quenched by an unbreakable heart, so warm it was foreign to her own. It had melted herʼs to the very core, and his only seemed to grow.

The couple had not been aware that the entire group had watched the two from far away, smirks and silent giggling filling the group. Shifu himself couldnʼt help but smile lightly; this new young love had warmed his tired old heart. Viper wiped a tear from her eyes and silently wished congratulations to her sister. Monkey and Mantis shared a look and the same thought: They would never let Po and Tigress live this down. Mei Ling and Crane had been reminded of their recent moment, and were lost in each otherʼs eyes.

It had been a long night. Hao, the royal adviser had been fighting off the bureaucracy for His Majesty and been sending orders to generals all across China. The pheasant was wearing the highest grade silk robes, green and blue, for only gold was allowed on the Emperorʼs skin. His body had never gave off that he was exhausted; oh no, the royal adviser must be strict in posture, in dialect, in everything. He represented the Emperor, and he must be represented properly. His every movement radiated wealth, knowledge, and gracefulness. He walked into the royal court of His Majesty, a massive room with riches adorned on the wall, pillars of dragons snaking around it, and at the center of the room on the ceiling: a massive image of the Son of Heaven himself. The passage to him was guided by two straight lines of massive rhinoceros guards, fearsome face-masks on their face, concealing their identity. Their armor were sparkling and in impeccable condition.

As he approached the massive throne, he knelt as low as he could.

"Your Majesty, your loyal servant approaches with the most humble intentions."

"Rise" His entire body was covered with a shroud, only revealing part of the massive throne.

"Your Majesty has asked for his humble servant?"

"Yes, Hao, we need to discuss some things." The figure shifted slightly before continuing "How are the battles across Chinaʼs borders going?"

"General Huāngmò still leads the attack against the barbarians of the desert in the west. General Shin has completely dominated the southern lands and islands and is traveling back to the Forbidden City to meet with Your Majesty. General Zhao has stopped the eastern island barbarians and contained the resistance of the peninsula east of China; he waits for further command."

"I see. Send some others to lead the armies. Send the Imperial Three to me. Are the Kung Fu masters still resisting?"

"….Yes, Your Majesty. They seemed to have gone to hiding and are engaging in guerrilla warfare with General Croc at the moment. Only Lee Da, Gongmen, Wu Shao, and Shi Long are completely eradicated. Some more will undoubtedly be destroyed. The masters have seemed to be very well organized, by the hands of the Grandmaster of the Jade Palace, Shifu."

"Give the order…. The Imperial Three may not rest till all of Kung Fu is destroyed."

The figure had begun to spasm, and the Emperor cried out in pain.

"Your Majesty! Is it your illness again?"

"I….I am fine. Get me my medicine. GO NOW! BEFORE I RIP OUT YOUR TONGUE!"

"Ye-yes, Your Highness!"

The Emperor sat back in his throne. His body racked with pain, as he shivered. He was always weak, especially when he was a child. The doctor he had killed had diagnosed him with a mental illness. It was impossible for the Son of Heaven himself to be insane; no, he wouldnʼt allow it. Any doctor that diagnose him with an illness would get killed, their corpse to rot in Mongolia for the pitiful wolves to eat. The once stable, peace-loving emperor had turned into a ravage, war-hungry monster.

"Now, Oogway, old friend….Let us see who was right. Is Kung Fu the way to peace and order? Weʼll see old friend..."

* * *

Original A/N

"Mad Hatter: "Why is a raven like a writing-desk?"

"Have you guessed the riddle yet?" the Hatter said, turning to Alice again.

"No, I give it up," Alice replied: "Whatʼs the answer?"

"I havenʼt the slightest idea," said the Hatter" - Lewis Carroll...insanity at its finest.

I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Everyone seems to be falling in love, am I right? I hope you guys can see the foreshadowing on how the Imperial Three act, based on what they did so far described by Hao. Love scene inspired by a Disney movie, not gonna say which. Please leave some encouraging constructive criticism, after all I aim to please.

Reviews would be an amazing-but-extremely-late Christmas miracle!

Till Next Time, Audience


End file.
